Imperfect Beauty
by xxKrAzYxKxx
Summary: Peris knows he has to forget about Tally, which he knows will he hard. But with a perfectly pretty life, how could you not be happy? Set right after Tally jumps off the balloon in Pretties.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize such as characters, places, or word from the Uglies series belongs to Scott Westerfeld. Any characters that you do not recognize are of my own creation. This starts in the Pretties, right after Tally jumps from the hot-air balloon. From Peris's point of view.

Peris simply stood, shocked, as he watched Tally jump. He had really hoped she would stay, hoped she wouldn't do something so stupid. As the balloon floated onward, he pressed the button calling the hovercars to come get him. There was no point waiting around. He bent and picked up the cuff Tally had worn. He held it tightly in his hand for a moment, the hot metal scolding his skin, before he threw it violently over the side of the balloon. How could she do that to him? He had always been there for her. They had been best friends since their ugly days. He had helped her become a crim. He had introduced her to Zane. Zane, who had stolen her away. He didn't understand why he still cared about her. Had she ever cared about him? Yes, he decided, she had once cared. Before she become popular, when he was all she had. He hated her. He could see now why Shay was so mad. They had helped her, and she had betrayed them.

In the distance, Peris could see the lights of the hovercar. He sighed. Whatever might have happened, it was all over now. He could have his pretty life, full of mindless parties and fun. The life they had wanted, together. Peris shook his head. No use dwelling on the past. She was gone for good. Shay was still here. But Shay had become weird lately, doing some bogus stuff to get bubbly. She had been cutting herself, saying the pain made her think clearly, that it was the cure. A cure to what? A fun, perfect life? He didn't understand why they wanted something so difficult, when they could be so happy.

"Anybody there?" a voice called. It wasn't a harsh voice. It sounded like a typical middle pretty. Peris sighed. Time to get back to his pretty life.

--

The hovercar touched down in from of the hospital, where it parked and let Peris out. "Thanks," he said to the driver, "I wasn't really sure how to work the balloon."

The middle pretty smiled, obviously believing the lie. "That's quite alright," he said, 'That's why we're here. Is your hand okay?"

Peris looked down at his burnt hand. "I'll be fine. I can get it fixed later. There's a party tonight I need to get ready for."

"Of course," the middle pretty smiled. They shook hands and the older man went inside the hospital. Peris pressed his interface ring, calling a hoverboard to come. He stepped on when it arrived and he glided slowly away. He passed the river, across which was Ugly Ville. Even from this distance, he could see the shadow of an ugly climbing out of the window of one of the dorms. With a pang, Peris realized that it was the room Tally had once lived in. The room he would always watch, waiting for when she would become pretty, and they would be together again.

He shook his head as he neared his room. Hopping off the board, he walked slowly into his room and to his bed. Flopping down on it, he wondered what the tricky ugly was up to. Was he (or she, it was impossible to tell from that distance) just sneaking out to go hoverboarding, or to sneak into New Pretty Town? He shook his head again. Why was he thinking such bogus thoughts?

He felt his interface ring go off. His smart wall opened up the ping. It announced a party at Valentino Mansion tonight. It was a black tie party. Peris smiled, he really needed a party right now. His wall produced a crisp black suit with a fancy red tie. He asked the wall to produce something that would cover up his tattoo until he could get a surge to remove it. He didn't want anything to do with the Crims right now.

A/N: Hey all. This is my first Uglies story. I hope you like it. I will try to update as soon as possible. Please review. Thanks!!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing. And I'm cold…

Peris walked up the steps to Valentino Mansion. He could hear the laughing and music coming from inside. This was going to be a good party, but he didn't know if he could enjoy it. Almost all of his friends were gone. The Crims had escaped from the city in the hot air balloon earlier that night. Now, he was the only one left. Not that he wanted to be one anymore. It had been cool at first, knowing that you were one of the most tricky Uglies, way back when. But now, what was the point? He didn't want to be tricky. He wanted to be pretty, and to enjoy his stress-free life. Why didn't they understand that?

Opening the door, the music hit him like an explosion. He walked inside and looked around. There were some people here he knew, but not well. Suddenly, he didn't want to be here. After all the effort of getting dressed, Peris turned and walked back out the door. The night air was warm and crisp, the best kind in his opinion. He walked down to the side of the river. He wandered across the lush grass right to the very edge, where he sat. Across in Ugly Ville, the dorms were dark. It was late for Uglies to still be up. He instinctively glanced to Tally's old room. The lights were out. Peris mind wandered back to the person he had seen sneaking out. He wondered what they were doing now. If they were anything like he or Tally was, they'd be sneaking across the lake right now, trying to catch a glance of the life they will soon have.

But would they have it soon? Peris knew the Smoke had been trying to get Uglies to run away before their operation. Maybe that was what the tricky Ugly was up to; running off to the Smoke. But right as the though crossed his mind, he saw something. There was something moving across the river. From this distance, it was hard to tell what it was, but it looked a lot like someone of a hoverboard. Peris stood up quickly and started jogging over to where the hoverboard would land, if they were heading straight for New Pretty Town. It was a long jog, but Peris was too curious to care.

Stopping by the bridge, he watched the hoverboard get closer. He moved into the shadows cast by the bridge, not wanting the Ugly to see him and change route. He could see them more clearly now. It was a girl, he could tell from her long hair that was trailing behind her in the wind. She was wearing her dorm jacket, the same type Tally used to wear. She was close to the bank now. She slowed her board and drifted to the edge of the river, where she hopped off. Peris held his breath, determined to stay hidden. The girl looked furtively around, as though sensing someone's presence. She shook her head slightly before walking carefully up the hill towards the town. Peris followed her. She was almost at the street when he decided to say something.

"Hey!" he yelled up to her. The girl whipped around, a terrified look on her face. Peris was walking quickly up to her, but the girl had different plans. She ran down toward the edge of the river, where she had left her hoverboard, "Wait!" he yelled after her. He ran and caught up with her, grabbing her arm before she could reach her board.

"I'm sorry!" she whispered madly, "I'm so sorry, I know I shouldn't be here. Its totally bogus, I'll go right away."

"No," Peris said calmly, still holding her arm. The girl looked up into his beautiful face. Peris examined her appearance. For an Ugly, she really didn't look that bad. She had a round face with almond shaped blue eyes. Her hair was wavy and bright red. Her skin was clear, except a few blemishes from teenage acne. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Oh, please don't report me." she pleaded in a whisper, "I just wanted to know what its like to live here. Please."

"I'm not going to report you," he said, smiling. His smile seemed to daze the girl slightly and he stopped quickly, "I did the same thing as an Ugly. I just want to know your name."

"Skylar," she whispered.

"That's a nice name," he thought aloud.

"Thank you," she said, slightly embarrassed, "May I ask yours?"

"Peris," he grinned again, "It's good to meet you." The girl looked slightly stunned, obviously not expecting this type of greeting from a Pretty to an Ugly. "I just wanted to see New Pretty Town at least once before my operation." she explained.

"When is your operation?" he asked.

"In a week," she grinned, showing dimples, "I've been counting down for months now."

"That's so bubbly," he said, mentally kicking himself for still having 'bubbly' in his vocabulary, "Very happy-making."

"I know," Skylar giggled. They stood quietly for a few moments. Peris realized he was still holding her arm, and let go. "But," she said, "It won't be the same as I used to imagine. Most of my friends ran away to the Smoke." Then her eyes widened and she clapped a hand over her mouth, "Oh no, I'm not supposed to say-"

"Its ok," he said quickly, "I know all about Smoke. I was supposed to leave for it this afternoon."

"Why didn't you?"

"I didn't want to. I had always wanted to be pretty and live here. Why would I throw all that away?"

"That's what I told my friends, but they wouldn't listen," she sighed.

"Well, when you get your operation, I'll be here," he smiled warmly at her. She looked up into his eyes. Peris could see the effect his words had. Her eyes were alight with a great happiness, no doubt from being told by a Pretty that he wanted to be her friend.

At that moment, his interface ring let out a soft 'ping'. He looked down at it. It was from Shay. He looked up at the girl. "I have to go," he said, "I think my friend needs something."

"Okay," she smiled, "I'll see you next week." She walked back down towards the river and a second later she was hover boarding back to Ugly Ville. We walked back up the street. Shays ping said that she wanted to see him behind Valentino Mansion. He walked there slowly, still thinking about Skylar.


End file.
